Carburetor



Oct. l5, 1929. J. v. RICE, JR 1,731,938

' CARBURETOR Filed July 12,- 1927 2 sheetsfsheet 1 ATTORNEY Oct. 15, 1929.

J. y. RICE, JR

CARBURETOR Filed July 12. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. l5, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicEi N JOHN V. RICE, JR., F BORDENTOW'N, NEW' JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO RICHARD Gp."

SCHVJOERER, 0F IHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA i CARBURETOR Application filed July 12,

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in carburetors, having for a leading object among many that mightbe mentioned the provision oll an automatically operative and adjustable fuel-mixing mechanism which will coinmingle and regulate the mixing ot' the air and gas or other l'uel ingredients, in ust the proper proportions at all times and under all atmospheric conditions, so as to enable the combustion of the luel to be as complete as possible and to de volop large power, thus subserving the intereste of economy and etliciency.

And with these and other objects in view my invention consists essentially in the conline 3, 3, of Figure 1.

titl

Figure is a horizontal sectional plan view` on the line 5, 5, of Figure l.

Figure 6 is a detail bottom plan view of the conical valve-opening member of the oil or gas control inlet mechanism.

Lil'ze characters et reference designate like parts throughout all the different figures lof the drawing.

The casing of the carburetor, in the examd ple oliits construction herein oll'ered for eX- planatory purposes, consists of several sections united together by bolts or secured in proper relation to each other by any other suitable means.; as for instance, the top section l, t ie next section 2 of virtually the same diameter with an interposed thin plate 38 between the sections l and 2; the smaller section 3 below section 2; and the still smaller lower section a; all the sections being hollow and properly related and Acombined to pertorni their proper functions and so shaped and sized as to accommodate the operative 1927. Serial No. 205,097.

mechanical parts, and allow the flow of gas and air.

The top section l is supported in any de-` sired manner on some part ol an engine, or elsewhere, as for example by the use ot screws entering the screw holes 53 in top plate 54. Section l has also an exhaust inlet 2a through which the hot exhaust gas or combustion products from the engine enter the carburetor to heat the same. Also secured to the side of section l by screwing the hollow boss 3l into the wall of section l is the thermostat casing 26,;- and the wall ol:l section l has a hollow cavity therein whose outside wall is perforated at 36 to admit outside atmospheric air lior use in starting the operation ol the device, said cavity 35 being in communication with the cavity 37, so that the preliminary air will pass through the latter, and on as I will describe.`

Supported centrally in the interior of the section l is a Venturi tube A, which is an important i'eature. It has the frustro-conical upper part 22 which is attached to the upper wall 54E and delivers fuel through the same to the fuel intake of the engine; and it has also the broad curved bottom portion 23 whose circular periphery is rigidly held close to the outside wall or' the section l, or preferable between the bottom edge of section l and the interposed plate 38. rlhe venturi is surrounded by the hot exhaust.

The boss or nozzle 3ft which screws into the side wall ot' the section l and loims a part of the thermostat casing 26 having inner cham-` ber B, has a passage 25 through it, through which passes the hot exhaust 'from casing section l. The casing 26 also has an outlet nozzle 30, to which a pipe may be coupled for carrying away this exhaust. Also in the casing 26 is a plate 2l' holding a diaphragm 29 which isacted on by the heat to expand and i contract; and it carries a pin having one end guided by a bearing 5G while the "other end carries a valve disc or cover 28, which is in front ot the passage 25 and which moves towards and away trom the end of the passage, so that it opens and closes the same 'from time to time, accordingly as the llexure oil the diaphragm 27 is controlled by the heat. 'Thus when the heat of the inside chamber and the venturi A is at a certain degree the stopper 28 will open or will close and When open the hot gases will escape at outlet 30.

The air passage 37 in wall of section 1 connects through vertical passage 39 (which leads through wall of section 1 below passagel 37, the peripheral edge of venturivA, the interposed plate 38 and a part of wail of section 2) into cavity 40 inthe wall of section 2, and thence throughpassage 43 into chamber 57 in one endof casing of section 3,

thererbeing in the remainder of section 3 Y anotherchamber 52, which serves as a` mixvao ing chamber for the preliminary air and gas to `produce the gaseous fuel. Vhen there is no air in same, chamber 52 holds gas, oil, or vapor. `Access from chamber 57 to chamvber 52 is had through a circular opening 49,

under the control of a curved valve plate 51,

wherein is a circular opening 50, which coinycldes with opening 49 more or less when the valve vis open more or less, and sometimes plate 51 closes the opening 49, so as to cut off the passage of air completely. This valve platey 51 is formed as a vertical part of a rotatable convex-shaped member 13, shown incross-section in Figure 1 and in reverse planin Figure 6. It is obvious that airl entering through the perforations 36 iows through the connected spaces as describeduntil it enters the mixing chamber 52 Where it mixes with the vaporized gasoline in the space 18 under member y13. This is the preliminary amount of air which is used in starting.

Themain air inlets are at the sides of the 'casing section 2, at the Vopenings 47 and 48 for example, see Figure 4. They are controlled, as to the extent of opening and closing, by the shutter or leaf valve consisting of vertical plates having an integral cenv trai hollow tube 21 revolvable in a central when the plates occupy this position. For,

above the valve plates 44 and 45 is the horiv zontal diaphragm or plate 38 which is held between 'sections land 2; and below platesv 44and45 is the solid floor of section 2. The plate 38, see-Figure 2, is formed with openings 41 and 42, between which are the solid parts 41a and 42 When the leaves 44 and 45 are in the closed Vposition shown in Fig- Y Y ure 2, or in Figure 3, air cannot pass from f $5;

the V-shaped, air entrances 47 and 48,

since said entrances are covered by the solid parts 41a and 42a, see Figure 2; but when the movable plates 45 turn on their swiveled center tube 21 away from the stationary leaves 44, an opening of greater or less size is made into openings 41 and 42 so that air can pass from the entrances 47 and 48 through openings 41 and 42 into the Venturi tube A and be commingled with the gas arriving` in the member A from end 31 of central tube 21. The more the leaves 45 turn on their pivoted support the larger will be the air passage through openings 41 and 42. As these leaves 45 thus open they pass into the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 3, and stretch the spring 46 attached to one of leaves 45 and one of leaves 44. This spring 46 acts to return the valve leaves 45 to closed position when the suction or vacuum that opens the leaves 45 ceases to act, or varies in its action.

The opening of leaves 45 is limited by the pin 32 held in a socket 33 on section 2, against the end of which pin one of the plates 45 strikes. The pin 32 can be adjusted in its socket so to regulate the extreme limit of the opening of the air-admission valves; and for convenience in regulating and positioning the pin 32, its outer end, or some attachment thereto, may extend to any desired point on the engine or elsewhere, so as to easily control the character of the mixture, as to richness and facility of combustion. Obviously the vacuum action of the engine and the suction effect on the carburetor swings the air-admission valves Open, and causes the plates 45 to vibrate, thus automatically regulating the consumption of air, and producing and supplying the fuel mixture to the cylinders as required.

The tube 21, swiveled to turn in plate 38 so as to act as a hinge for the valve leaves 45, and having the function of carrying the fuel mixture into the Venturi tube A at starting and the gasoline vapOr or gas after the starting air stops, has an integral step plate 58 in the bottom of section 2 which rotates gradually back and forth. The lower end of tube 2l below plate 58 screws into the boss 59 projecting upwardly from the convex member 13, located in section 3, below which member 13, on `the concave side thereof, is the space 18, which communicates with the rotary tube 21 through a passage 2O in boss 59. The rota.- tion of tube 21 and the attached convex member 13 is facilitated by the ball bearing 19 carried in the bottom of section 2. The convex member 13 is provided on its lower side with ribs 16 and 17, 16 being short and 17 longer, but both in the same circle, which control the opening and closing of the ball gas valves 14 and 15 arranged in block or casting 60, mounted on screw plug 11, as I will presently more fully specify.

Below the section 3 of the carburetor casin g is the bottom end section 4, which need not be very large in sise, and whose top plate has an integral upwardly-projecting bearing 10, internally screw-threaded and receiving the screw plug 11 which is screwed through the same with its lower end in the chamber 7, in section 4 and its upper end in the chamber 52 in section 3, said Lipper end being enlarged or T-shaped in cross-section and screwed into lower side of valve-carrying block 60 having oil chamber G1 therein; The screw 11 has a central passage 12, with a countersunk lower end 6:2 and its `upper end delivering into the space 61 below valved block 60, which space 61 connects with recesses or cavities in said block 60 which have outlets or seats 63, see Figure 5, for the ball valves 14 and 15 einr pleyed as gas or oil outlet valves and supplied with closing springs which normally close the balls against the seats and prevent the passage of any or liquid except when the ribs or cams 14 and 15 on the convert plate 13 press against one er both of said valves 14 and 15 from without and open the valves lor the passage of vapor. Further, chamber 7 receives gasoline through the strainer end 8 of supply pipe 9, and needle valve 5 passing through bearing 6 engages the countersunlr end 62 of passage 12, opening said passage to a greater or less extent so as to allow more or less gasoline to pass iter vaporization and use in the fuel mixture.

As the tube 21, serving as a valve leaiE pivot, rotates, it turns the convex member 13, which carries air-valve plate 51, and gas-valve operating ribs 16 and 17. lt the valve plate 51 is open and one of the oil valves 14 and 15 is open, the air and vapor will unite to lorin the mixture which passes into the Venturi tube 22 from end 31 oi' tube 21 and enters the cylinders of the engine. li the starting air is entirely cut oil by the closing oiC ports 49 and by movement of plate 51, the oil passing out oi' one or both oi the valves 14 and 15 will pass into space 18 and thence through pipe 21 and out of the end 31 thereof where it will mia with the aill supplied through openings 41 and 42 to the lower Venturi chamber 23 and thenceto the upper Venturi chamber 22. The ribs 16 and 17 on member 13 are ot unequal length, as stated.

The operation oi' my improved carburetor will be clearly evident from the foregoing description of the construction, combination and arrangement el parts. The heat of the exhaust from the engine passing through the upper chamber warms the chamber and iinparts heat to the air entering at 36, which iiows down through the passages in the wall and mingles with the gasoline vapor in chamber 52 and space 18, passing thence through valves 14 and 15, one or both, and the mixture ascends through tube 21 to the venturi A and then. to the engine. The thermostat in chamber Biregulates the amount of heat which is derived and utilized from the flow of the exhaust. The air supplied at iirst by valve 49 and 50 is the starting air, for after the device begins to leed a substantial amount olf iuel to the engine, the air supplied by valve 49 and 50 will be reduced or graduated, varying .in amount from time to time as required to meet the demand thereon for the mixture and the suction effect the engine on the Venturi tube A will gradually open the valve leaves 45 and will cause a greater or less volume of air to enter from the outside atmosphere through openings 47 and 48, and openings 41 and 42, and flow into the venturi and mix thoroughly with the vaporized gasoline delivered at 31 through tube 21.

rlhe tube 21, which is attached to the valve members 45, rotates more or less in proportion to the action of the suction on said mem,u bers 45, and this revolves the conical member 13 which controls the inlet valves 14 and 15 that admit gas or oil to be vaporized and mingled with the air. At one time only one of said valves will be open, as 'for example, valve 15, as it is acted on by the long rib 17, see Figures 5 and G. rlhis rib may move some little distance on valve 15, depressing same and keeping this one valve only open, thus supplying only a certain amount of vapor, but as a richer mixture is needed, or more iiuel is needed ior u e, the continued rotation of member 13 will cause valve opening projection 16 to encounter and depress valve 14, so that both valves 14 and 15 will. be simultaneously open and hence a much larger supply ol gasoline vapor will be introduced into the mixture with a correspondingly large amount oi air. The operation will be entirely automatic and may be regulated and controlled so as to create just the proper degree of richness in the mixture for the duty itis to perform. The supplies of air and gas are graduated to a nicety with the combination mixture which is effective, economical and constant.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters- Patent, is:

1. In a carburetor, the combination with a casing, having an inlet for the hot exhaust from an engine, and having also preliminary air and oil inlets, of a Venturi tube supported in the casing and heated by the exhaust, a central vapor tube that delivers into the venturi and carries a valve-operating member having ribs thereon, air valve plates actuated by suction and movinflr said tube as a pivot, and a series oi valves lfor the oil that are opened in succession by the ribs 'lier automatically proportioning the inflow of oil to the in- 'take ot air.

2. In a carburetor, the combination with a casing and a heat-exposed Venturi tube supported therein, of a central rotating tube delivering into the venturi, said tube carrying a conve-X member having a plurality oi integral valve-opening ribs, air-valve plates carried by said'rotating tube and movable to'open for the air to pass to the venturi, and one or more valves controlled by the aforesaid ribs to admit oil to the central tube by Ywhich it iiows into the venturi to mix with the air, and means :torsupply oil, in which means said valves are located.

3. In a carburetor, the combination with 'a easing and a Venturi tube supported therein, of a central rotating tube delivering into the venturi and provided with movable air- .valve plates, stationary air-valve plates in the casing having aV V-relation to the movable .tube-carrying plates to provide inlets 'for the air, means in the casing providing passages into the venturi controlled by the automatic Vopening and closing of the moving plates to admit air into the venturi, a rotary member 'carried by the tube and having a valve-actuating lug, an oil inletvvalve operated by said lug as the rotary member revolves, and means for supplying'oil consisting of an inner casting having a central oil chamber and an oil passagey leading thereto and carrying the aforesaid oil inlet valve.

4. In a carburetor, the combination with a casing and a Venturi tube supported therein, of a central rotating tube delivering into the venturi and provided With movable air- -valve plates, stationary air-valve plates in the casing having a V-relation to the movable 'plates carried by the tube to provide inlets for the air, means in the casing providing passages into the venturi controlled by the automatic opening and closing of the said moving plates to admit air into the venturi, a rotary member carried by the tube, a chamber containing said rotary member, and valve mechanism in said chamber actuated by the rotary member to admit oil or vapor to the central tube to be carried to the venturi.

5. In a carburetor, the combination With fa casing and a Venturi tube therein, of a central rotating tube delivering into the venturi and provided with movable air valve ',plates, stationary air-valve plates in the casing having a V-relation to the movable plates carried by the tube to provide inlets for the air, 'means in the casing providing passages f into the venturi controlled by said movable plates, Yand means consisting of an adjustable pin for regulating the limit of movement `of themovable plates, an oil chamber, and

valve mechanism controlling the supply ot oil therefrom to the central tube leading tov the venturi, Where the fuel mixture is formed. 6. yIn, aV carburetor, the combination with a-casing and a Venturi tube, supported therein, of a central rotary tube delivering into' the venturi and provided With air-valve plates movable on the tube as aV pivot, stationary air valve plates in the casing having aV- relation to the 'movable plates carried by the tube tov provide inlets for the air, means in the casing providing passages into the ven`- turi controlled by the automatic opening and closing of the moving plates to admit air into the venturi, a rotary member carried by the tube and having valve-actuating ribs, oil inlet valves for admitting oil to pass into said tube operated by said ribs as the rotary member revolves and consisting of yielding balls, and an interior oil chamber in the Walls of Which the said ball valves are mounted, together With means for supplying oil to said chamber.

7. In a carburetor, the combination With a casing and a Venturi tube supported therein, of a central rotary tube delivering into the venturi and provided with air-valve plates movable on the tube as a pivot, stationary air valve plates in the casing having a V-relation to the movable plates carried by the tube to provide inlets for the air, means in the casing providing passages into the venturi controlled by the automatic opening and closing of the moving plates to admit air into the venturi, a rotary member carried by the tube and having a pair of valve-actuating ribs, one longer and one shorter and both curved in arcs of the same circle, and oil inlet valves for admitting oil to pass into the central tube, operated by said ribs as the rotary member revolves, sometimes one and sometimes both, and consisting of yielding balls, and a casing member for the balls.

8. In a carburetor, the combination with a casing and a Venturi tube supported therein, ot a central rotary tube delivering into the vventuri, air-inlet valve mechanism connected to said tube, a rotary member carried at the lower extremity of said tube and having on its under side a pair of valve-actuating ribs curved in the arcs of the same circle, and oil. inlet valves for admitting oil to the tube to be carrier to the venturi consisting of yielding balls operated by said ribs to open as the rotary member revolves.

9. In a carburetor, the combination with a casing and a Venturi tube supported therein, kof a central rotary tube delivering into the venturi and provided with air-valve plates movable with the tube as a pivot, stationary air-valve plates in the casing and having a V-relation to the movable plates carried by the tube to provide air inlets, means in the casing providing passages into the venturi controlled by the movable valve plates, a rotary member carried by the tube and having valve-actuating ribs, and having also a perforated air-valve iiange, yielding inlet valves for oil adapted to be opened by the valveactuating ribs, an air chamber for supplying starting air, said chamber having a perforated Wall cooperating with the perforated air valve flange, all arranged to supply Iirst a starting mixture and afterwards the regular running mixture.

l0. In al carburetor, the combination with a casing having an exhaust inlet, an exhaust outlet, and an inlet ior the preliminary air, a heat exposed venturi in said casing having a conical top part and a Haring lower portion, inlet means for air into said lower portion, a valve for the exhaust outlet, a thermostat for regulating the action of said valve, a rotary central tube provided with valve devices for admitting air to the air-inlet means for the lower portion of the venturi, a valve for controlling the admission ot the starting air, an oil chamber, valve mechanism controlling the passage of the oil into the rotary tube, and means actuated by the rotary tube for operating said latter valve mechanism in proper relation to the operating devices which admit the starting air and the main air supply.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature.

JOHN V. RICE, JR. 

